After securing my tent for the predicted hail storms I headed to photograph the sunset. This is a meadow not far from my campsite…

As I drove into West Yellowstone there were beautiful fields full of wild flowers so I headed back to photograph them when the light would be more interesting….my filter accidentally went through the washing machine so there are lots of pretty light distortions…NOT ORBS!

I don’t even have proper boots I went in my hiking boots which only go above the ankle and have mesh on top!! My feet and pants were soaked but I was never cold until I got back to the car. They say cold is a state of mind….most of the time I hate the cold but I guess the dry air in Montana makes it seem warmer….the rainy cold in Oregon bothers me more. If I move back to Oregon it will probably be around Bend.

Sorry folks about going so long without posting. This is an old one from when I visited Montana two years ago. Now I am moving there!! I’m excited but in my head I imagined going there in the late spring playing all summer and then slowly getting ready for winter. Nooooo! I have to start my job on February 7th! I didn’t even own a sweater a few weeks ago!! Now I have several sweaters boots that keep my feet warm to -30 (Not sure if I quite believe THAT I have a sleeping bag that goes down to zero but they neglected to tell me the part about being in a 70 degree house under a pile of buffalo robes then it keeps you warm!) Anyway my long down coat arrived today. Beautiful with coyote trim on the hood (sorry PETA) At least I’ll be wearing it in Montana and not L.A….The experts say that real fur around a hood protects the face much better than faux fur. Thank you coyote!!

I wish I were all packed and ready to go but that is not the case. Luckily I still have a few weeks. I wish I were so organized I could live out of a backpack but as it is I have sent multitudes of boxes which should arrive in Montana by the end of the week. Most of them were art related. Several trips to the Goodwill and other area donation drop-offs. How do I accumulate so much? I even got rid of most of my books and scanned my photos. I am embracing the digital technology that is such a space saver.

I tried to send a box of acrylic paints but apparently that is included in the ridiculous Homeland Security nonsense. I don’t know how Dick Blick managed to send me all of my paint in the first place!

Tired from a long day of cleaning I even cleaned behind the refridgerator…

sorry OREGON DUCKS for your loss.

It was so beautiful that I had to go hiking! There is a Continental Divide Trail up in the mountains above Butte. The bears have not gone to sleep yet so my friend took me to a sporting goods store where for 35 dollars I purchased a big bottle of bear spray….when I got back to Oregon I showed it to my brother who said it doesn’t really work and bears run 40 miles an hour…..yada yada yada….try to ruin my mental safety comfort. Evil I tell you! Anyway I enjoyed myself more because of the bear spray…I would have worried in the back of my mind.Furthermore in the snow the amount of animal tracks was incredible!!

I was surrounded by beauty and did a lot of talking to God! Even got a few answers!!